Department for Transport

Driving under Influence

earl attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 2 April (HL14846), whether they will also monitor the results of the December 2014 reduction in the legal blood alcohol limit for motorists in Scotland from 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood to 50 milligrams; and what assessment they have made of the possible effects of introducing such a reduction for motorists in the rest of the UK.

baroness vere of norbiton: An independent report of the impact of the Scottish limit reduction, led by the University of Glasgow, was published on 12 December 2018. The study found that lowering the drink drive limit was not associated with any reduction in total road traffic accident rates or serious and fatal road traffic accident rates. There are no current plans to lower the drink drive limit in England and Wales. The Government believes that rigorous enforcement and serious penalties for drink drivers are a more effective deterrent than changing the drink driving limit.

Road Traffic Offences: Mobile Phones

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many drivers using mobile phones while driving have been convicted of causing death or serious injury in the last five years; and what assessmentthey have made ofwhether drivers using hands-free or other mobile devices have a greater risk of causing an accident.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Ministry of Justice court proceedings database does not distinguish convictions involving mobile phone use from the broader offences of causing death/serious injury by dangerous driving. The Department for Transport has not carried out an assessment of hands-free mobile phone use, or use of other mobile devices such as satellite navigation equipment, while driving. The Highway Code stresses the importance of proper concentration while driving. If someone drives poorly because they are distracted by a phone conversation, for example, even if using hands-free, then the police can take enforcement action for failing to have proper control of the vehicle.

Shipping: Inspections

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the announcement by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency that four foreign flaggedships remained under detention in UK ports in March after failing Port State Control inspection, who is responsible for paying (1) port, and (2) other, charges incurred by those ships during thedetention period.

baroness vere of norbiton: The ship operator (owner or manager) has the responsibility for paying all costs incurred while the ship is under detention.

Channel Ferries: Contracts

lord macpherson of earl's court: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 14 March (HL14167), whether the Accounting Officer issued an Accounting Officer Statement on no-deal ferry contracts in line with Cabinet Office-Treasury guidance; and, if so, whether theywill publish it.

baroness vere of norbiton: An accounting officer assessment was completed in relation to the Department’s no-deal contingency planning for additional maritime freight capacity. The assessment concluded that the contracts met the requirements of Managing Public Money.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Nigeria: Violence

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria about reports of ongoing attacks by Muslim Fulani herders on Christian communities in the northern and central-belt states.

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Islamist dimension to Fulani attacks against Christians in northern and central Nigeria.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned about growing levels of intercommunal violence between farming and herder communities in Nigeria, and regularly raise these concerns the Nigerian Government at the highest levels. The Foreign Secretary met with Nigerian faith leaders, both Muslim and Christian during his recent visit to Nigeria, to discuss how the UK can support their work to promote interfaith relationships and long-term peace. Our assessment is that religious identity is a factor but the root causes are highly complex and include disputes over land, farming rights, the impact of climate change, grazing routes and access to water. Our High Commission in Abuja is engaging closely with international partners, the Nigerian Government, state governments and the National Economic Council to develop measures, which address the underlying causes of the conflict, including the recently-announced bi-partisan National Livestock Transformation Plan.

Nigeria: Violence

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether representatives from the UK High Commission in Abuja have visited Christian farming communities in northern and central Nigeria attacked by Muslim Fulani herders; and if so, what were their findings.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Officials from the British High Commission in Abuja frequently visit states across Nigeria and engage with communities of all faiths. A High Commission team including officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London recently visited Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Benue and Taraba States to assess the situation on the ground. The findings reinforced our assessment of the complexity of these conflicts, which can be found in disputes over land, farming rights, the impact of climate change, grazing routes and access to water. We continue to urge the Nigerian Government to develop a clear strategy to address the underlying causes, as well as developing options for how the UK could further support dialogue and peacebuilding efforts. The Foreign Secretary met with Nigerian faith leaders, both Muslim and Christian during his recent visit to Nigeria, to discuss how the UK can support their work to promote interfaith relationships and long-term peace.

North Korea: Refugees

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of China about the arrest and proposed repatriation of seven North Korean escapees, including a nine year-old girl; and whether they have reminded the government of China of its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and of the requirement to allow those escapees access to an officer from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of reports of seven North Koreans currently being detained in China. The British Government actively promotes the implementation of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention which asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom. We continue to emphasise to China that people fleeing North Korea should be treated as legitimate asylum claimants and should not be returned. We have not raised these particular cases directly with the Chinese Government.​

North Korea: Refugees

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of therisk of the North Korean refugees due to be repatriated from China to North Korea being sent to one of North Korea’s prison camps; how many people are estimated by the UN to be incarcerated in such camps; what is known about conditions inside them; and what is known about the fate of refugees who have previously been repatriated from China to North Korea.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Access to North Korea’s prison camps is tightly controlled, making it difficult to make an independent assessment of conditions there. However, reports, including defector testimonies, describe instances of torture, deliberate starvation and executions. The 2014 UN Commission of Enquiry report estimated there were between 80,000 and 120,000 political prisoners detained in four large political prison camps in North Korea. Despite claims by the North Korean authorities that forcibly repatriated refugees are well treated and reintegrated into society, reports suggest they are often mistreated.The British Government will call on North Korea to address its widespread and systematic human rights abuses, including through judicial and prison reform, at the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review of DPRK on 9 May 2019. The British Embassy in Pyongyang routinely raises human rights concerns with DPRK officials.

Libya: Politics and Government

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they anticipate the UN-sponsored Libyan National Conference originally scheduled to take place in Ghadames on 14 April will now take place; if so, when; and whether they have sought further clarification of US policy on Libya particularly in the light of the White House statement of 19 April, detailing the telephone conversation between President Trump and Khalifa Haftar, in which the two "discussed a shared vision for Libya's transition to a stable, democratic political system."

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK continues to strongly support the work of UN Special Representative Ghassan Salamé. Clearly, the current fighting represents a significant set-back for efforts to facilitate a more inclusive political settlement in Libya, and we understand his plans for the National Conference are for the moment on hold. However, it remains our and SRSG Salamé's view that there can be no military solution in Libya and that we must continue to work towards a ceasefire and a return to a political process.The US has consistently advocated the need for a sustainable political solution in Libya. That will require buy-in from a range of different Libyan stakeholders, including General Haftar and Prime Minister Serraj. We will continue to discuss with the US and our other partners how best to achieve a de-escalation, ceasefire, and a return to political talks.

Russia: North Korea

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the purpose and outcome of the summit meeting which took place between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Vladivostok on 25 April.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: It is positive that President Putin used his meeting to stress that he wants to see the full denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. We hope that he also urged Kim Jong Un to honour his commitments to denuclearise and to re-engage with the US. A denuclearised North Korea is in all of our interests.

Egypt: Human Rights

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to concerns over extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances by Egyptian security forces raised by UN human rights experts in the OHCHR statement on 25 February, Egypt: UN experts condemn executions of nine men after “confessions under torture", what representations they have made to the government of Egypt to reinforce those concerns.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​It remains a long-standing policy of the United Kingdom to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We have regularly made our position clear to the Egyptian Government.We are also deeply concerned about reports of enforced disappearance, torture and mistreatment in detention in Egypt and continue to raise these issues with the Egyptian authorities. We have raised these concerns in public, through the UN Human Rights Council, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Human Rights Priority Country reports, and in private with Egyptian Government representatives in London and in Cairo.

Gaza: Demonstrations

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 16 April (HL15124), what steps they are taking to ensure that accountability for all violations of international humanitarian and human rights law is pursued impartially, fairly, and in a balanced manner.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have called on all parties to abide by international humanitarian law and to promote peace, stability and security. We continue to discuss with our partners in the UN how best to pursue accountability in an impartial, fair and balanced manner.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 16 April (HL15129), what steps they intend to take to encourage the government of Israel to ensure that any actions it takes are proportionate and adhere to international humanitarian law.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to urge the Israeli authorities to ensure that their actions are proportionate and in line with international humanitarian law. We reiterated the importance of this in the UK statement at the UN Security Council on 29 April.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 16 April (HL15172), what positive steps the government of Israel has taken in relation to the treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention since the last review in 2012.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcomed progress Israel had made on this issue, including: a reduction in the number of detainees aged between 12 and 14 years old; the increase in the age of maturity from 16 to 18 years old; the establishment of separate juvenile courts; and the enactment of a special statute of limitations for minors. Initial detention periods have also been shortened. However we continue to have strong concerns about continued reports of ill-treatment of Palestinian minors in Israeli military detention and remain committed to working with Israel to secure improvements to its practices.

Gaza: Israel

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations are they making to the government of Israel about that government restricting books being brought into Gaza.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities. The right to education and the supply of books for this purpose is a basic right. That is why the UK continues to support education through our funding to the Palestinian Authority and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees. Last year, UK support contributed towards the salaries of approximately 33,000 public servants under the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, including teachers, helping 25,000 young Palestinians to receive an education and proper reading material. We continue to regularly urge the Israeli authorities to remove restrictions on movement and access in Gaza which can impair access to quality education.​

Department for International Development

Developing Countries: Health Services

lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government what funding the Department for International Development has allocated to the promotion of Universal Health Coverage.

baroness sugg: DFID is the world’s second largest health donor. Strengthening health systems to deliver universal health coverage (UHC) is a priority for the UK and an overarching goal for DFID health investments. However, we do not classify spend on promoting UHC separately from other health investments.

Developing Countries: Health Services

lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that countries supported by the Department for International Development are investing in their healthcare systems through domestic resources.

baroness sugg: Strong and resilient health systems that meet essential health care needs for all are central to our health efforts. DFID supports countries to mobilise and allocate more of their own domestic resources for health through international advocacy, multilateral investment and our programmes. We also fund technical assistance to strengthen and implement robust health financing strategies and reforms, helping countries to achieve ‘more money for health and more health for the money’.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits: Disability

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Buscombe on 29 April (HL15269), what existing forums they were engaged with on the design of the feasibility test for a single assessment for Employment and Support Allowance/Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment.

baroness buscombe: We committed to working with stakeholders to inform our approach to Work Capability Assessment (WCA) reform in the Improving Lives Command Paper published in 2017 and have been engaging on this broader issue through a number of forums. This has included our Policy Forum, a small group involving academics, think tanks and a number of disability charities. Specifically, on the single assessment, we are currently gathering evidence to support the design of the feasibility test and will be involving stakeholders to inform this in the coming months. The outcomes from the feasibility test will enable us to establish if a single assessment would improve the customer journey and deliver quality and accurate outcomes.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Japanese Knotweed: Weed Control

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they anticipate glyphosate to continue to be available for treating Japanese knotweed; and if not, what steps they are taking to ensure that effective alternatives are available.

lord gardiner of kimble: Like all pesticides, glyphosate is subject to restrictions to ensure that its use will not harm people or have unacceptable effects on the environment. UK scientists participated in the European Food Safety Authority’s recent assessment of glyphosate and support its conclusions. The Government therefore agrees with the continuing approval of glyphosate. The European Commission decided in December 2017 to approve glyphosate for continuing use until December 2022. When the approval of glyphosate is next reviewed, we will consider our position based on a careful scientific assessment of the evidence and risks at that time. With regard to the second point, the Government is funding work by the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International to trial biocontrol methods targeted at Japanese knotweed. A sap-sucking bug (psyllid) has been selected as a highly specific natural enemy to help control this invasive non-native species. The work is undergoing peer review and further regulatory scrutiny would be required before the psyllid could be released under strict licence conditions. The project team continues to work to establish the psyllid at a series of experimental sites. It is hoped that, in time, this method will prove effective in reducing the invasive capacity of Japanese knotweed as well as the effort and cost of managing it.

Treasury

Asset Life

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they, or the Financial Conduct Authority, areinvestigating the activities of Asset Life and the suitability of its directors.

lord young of cookham: This question has been passed on to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply directly to Lord Myners by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.